9 Commonly Made Excuses for Not Working Out, Debunked!

We have all heard the excuses for not working out. Even the most experienced fitness professionals have used them at some point. But what helped them become fitness professionals is learning how to combat those thoughts before they affect behavior. One easy way to tell an experienced lifter from a novice is how easily they fall for excuses not to workout. Here we will go over some commonly made excuses for not working out and why they are not really good excuses at all. That way next time you have them, you realize what they really are, excuses.

1. “I don’t have time.”

This is probably the most easily debunked excuse. All you have to do is think about how everyone has 24 hours in the day. No one has more or less time than you. If CEOs of companies can find time to workout, I’m sure you can as well. The difference between those who workout and those who don’t find the time is values. If someone values exercise and makes it a priority, they will do it. We are all doing things that are wastes of time. Replace one of those things with exercise and get it done. (Read also “Tips to Fit Exercise Into a Busy Schedule”)

2. “I don’t feel motivated.”

If everyone worked out when they were motivated they would probably workout like once or twice a week. You don’t have to be motivated, you have to be consistent and disciplined. If you told yourself you were going to workout five days a week, have personal integrity and keep your word to yourself. The more you do that, the more you strengthen your discipline and improve how you view yourself. This is why goals and plans are important because you can fall back on them even when you aren’t “motivated”. 

3. “Gyms and trainers are expensive.”

First of all, many gym chains are not very expensive. There are a few that you can just pay $10 a month such as Planet Fitness for example. So for the cost of a meal at McDonalds you can workout for 30 days straight if you wanted to. Not a bad deal. You could also buy some things to workout at home. Read here to see how to make a home gym for under $75. You can also read here to see why you don’t necessarily need a trainer when you’re getting started. There is also tons of free information available online and on YouTube. Search for free home workout plans. Or you can just walk or run outside or play sports to be healthy. There are so many things you can do. Money simply isn’t an excuse.

4. “I don’t want to get too big. (for women)”

The classic phrase only spoken by women who don’t actually lift. If only it were that easy and experienced female bodybuilders could know the secret because they’d love to get big just by touching a weight! For a woman to get big and bulky, it takes years of serious training and discipline specifically for that type of body and typically hormone supplementation would have to be involved as well. Women don’t get as large as men because of hormonal differences. Their testosterone levels are much lower. If you look around in the gym you’ll notice that the women lifting weights look better than the ones on the treadmills. This excuse just means you are scared to start or just don’t want to put in the work.

5. “I already worked out __ many times this week.”

Do you find yourself thinking that you don’t have to work out the days you planned or are in your program because you’ve already done “enough”? Is completing 3 out of you 5 days in your program what you’re supposed to do? In school, if you get a 3 out of 5 that’s a 60%. If you are able to workout the days you planned, just do it! One day missed is just less gains down the road so you choose if you want 60-70% of the body you want or 100% of the body you want.

6. “I’m traveling/on vacation.”

Now first of all, I know we all need a break at some point or rest periods. However vacations, especially long vacations shouldn’t be spent doing absolutely nothing physical. You will lose much progress and suffer upon return. So exercise, but take it lighter than usual. Most hotels will have fitness centers. Just do what you can. Or if you have nothing, then you can walk, run, do push ups, etc. At least make sure to be moving your body or walking. There is always something you can do. One trick is to do your exercise in the morning. You will be doing activities throughout the whole day and night probably so if you don’t do it before you start your day, you probably won’t.

7. “My __ hurts!”

When you work out, you will be sore. It is still ok to workout if you are just a little sore. You can even workout when you are very sore. Any army recruit or athlete could tell you that. And there will be times when you have a small injury. As long as it is not something serious, try and still do what you can. Maybe you pulled a muscle in your leg. Does that mean you can’t go and perform your chest workout? Are there other exercises that hurt less? Could you just go less intense? Don’t let minor pains get in your way. Always consult medical professionals of course, but it will be hard to see real progress if your body always has to feel perfect before exercising.

8. “No one will work out with me.”

Though it is useful and helpful to have a workout partner, it is not reliable. The only one you can truly rely on is yourself and you need to have discipline. A friend may help you to get started but eventually every workout partnership ends. Someone moves, loses motivation, etc. So you have to be ready to continue going on your own. You don’t need anyone to workout with you. There are only a few exercises where a spotter is helpful such as a bench press or squat, but there are always ways around that. There are safety bars, smith machines, or you could use dumbbells. If you really want to be consistent you have to be able to do it on your own when no one is watching.

9. “I don’t know what to do or how to start.”

If you don’t know how to start, then learn how to start. You will have to eventually if you ever want to be fit so why not start today? There are so many free resources such as our site here at Total Wellness 101. You can learn here How to get started, common beginner mistakes, how to create your own routine, meal prepping, how to workout anywhere, and how to target muscle groups. Talk to a friend that is already in the fitness world. There is really no excuse for not ever starting. Everyone started from zero at some point. So start learning and do what you can.

Everyone makes excuses, but the elite know how to overcome them when their natural impulse is to try to make excuses. And the more that you overcome these excuses, the better you will be in the future at overcoming them. It takes practice and comes with experience, but if your physical wellness is important to you, you can do it.